Members of the West Orange-Stark volleyball team would rather attend Friday's non-district football game in Brookshire than play a district game against Hardin-Jefferson, forcing the Mustangs to forfeit the game because they wouldn't have enough players.

Several members of the team are also on the cheerleading squad or drill team and would rather attend the game.  And most if not all, are being supported by their parents.  Why?  Because they have to pay for their kids to be a part of those squads (uniforms, etc.) but not to wear a volleyball uniform.  In other words, they want their money's worth.

But you don't have to have a certain number of cheerleaders or drill team members to participate on a Friday night.  However you do have to have at least six to play volleyball.  The move put volleyball coach Gwen Kelly in a pickle.  She attempted to get the game moved by Hardin-Jefferson but they said no because of prior commitments.  And since it doesn't involve weather, sickness, or death, they shouldn't have to change.

So rather than play as a team, a team you joined voluntarily, you abandon your team and your school.  And will there be repercussions?  Probably not.

Let's add that this is a game that they could win!  Until this year when Coach Kelly brought her daughter to WOS from Silsbee, the volleyball team hadn't won in two years.  They're 12-7 this season and have a chance to win their first district game....nah, let's go to the football game.

Now don't blame football.  Many have told me they're making them go to football and it's football's decision.  Please.  Although Dan Hooks hasn't said it, I've known him long enough to know unless you're wearing a uniform or a coaches shirt, he could care less.  Maybe you can blame Hooks as the athletic director for not making them play.  So let's say he says they have to play and so they just decide to quit instead.  Why not?  They'd obviously rather cheer and dance.

Kelly, who is also the cheerleading sponsor (go figure) to which her daughter is also a member, had to have known this would be a problem at the beginning of the season, as well as the girls and parents involved.  If you play basketball, you shouldn't expect as long of a Christmas break.  If you play baseball or softball, don't expect a full week of Spring Break.  If you play volleyball, there's a chance you might not make it to every football game.

If there aren't enough kids that want to play, which includes not having a freshman team already, why not just cancel the season?  WOS is cash strapped and has cut just about every sports budget anyway.  Save the coaching stipends, the money spent on balls, uniforms, referees, custodians, bus trips, electricity for the gym, and the embarrassment, and give it to the sports that have kids that want to play.  That's what happened to soccer.

Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill.  But in 25 years I've never seen anyone forfeit a district game in any sport.  You probably wouldn't have even known what was going on if you haven't read my story or Van's in the Leader.  But I've talked to a dozen coaches, some at WOS, who collectively said, "over my dead body" would this be acceptable on my team.  I was hoping to get Kelly's response to all of this but my call has not been returned.

One volleyball coach said, "It sucks. WOS has improved enough that they could possibly sneak up and beat a playoff contender.  I'm not happy about them giving one of them a win for free."

In the words of former NFL coach Herm Edwards, "You play to win the game."  You don't cheer to win or dance to win.  I would not want to be the one who cost my team a game.  Maybe that's "old school" thinking.  Maybe priorities have changed.

By the way, WO-Cove is letting school out at noon on Friday for those that may want to attend the 7:30pm non-district football game.  According to Texas Travel it takes two hours and fifteen minutes to get to Brookshire. Directions are on the sports page.